Bad Luck!
by AquilaFalcon
Summary: Hibari Nadeshiko has always been eclipsed by the shadow of his elder brother, Hibari Kyoya. As a gambler, he considers himself privy on the subject of the underworld. Does he really know the bitter taste of the underworld...? OCs, full summary inside.
1. Card 1

_Hello, my fellow writers and fanfiction readers. My name is _**Aquila Falcon**, _and this is my first story that I'm publishing onto the site. I've been watching KHR since the beginning and reading it word for word, panel for panel. I've enjoyed watching Amano-san's style improve and her characters grow. I've wanted to make a story that honors the spirit of KHR! but at the same time shows my style as an author. So I made this._

**Title: **_Bad Luck!  
_

**Summary****:** _Hibari Nadeshiko has been eclipsed by his elder brother's shadow for as long as he can remember. As a gambler, he uses his wits and his gift of reading the emotions of others to get by and boost his own confidence. After a particularly testy battle with Hibari, he is offered a place in the Vongola alongside his companions. However, Nadeshiko has been dealt a prescribed hand of cards. He cannot add, he cannot throw away, he cannot trade in his hand. He has lost all the luck. All of it.  
_

**Pairings: **_OC x OC, yet it doesn't serve as the focus._

**Warnings: **_Foul language for Zengi Naderu's potty mouth (and to an extent, Nadeshiko's.)_

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own KHR. KHR belongs to Akira Amano and all other affiliated parties._

* * *

There's nothing in life that cannot be put on a table for all its worth. Wealth, cars, countries, human lives—everything can be at stake during a card game. There is Crazy Eights, Bridge, and Spades. However, the game that Hibari Nadeshiko found most engaging was Poker.

Being a self-proclaimed "Poker Face Enthusiast," Nadeshiko found himself pulling his opponents apart by registering subtle facial contortions, subconscious habits of whimsy, and the flaring of nostrils at the climax of the game. He kept his own expression stoic, though; a trait that he prefected—_per_fected—while living in the Hibari household for a short time as a child. Nadeshiko and Kyoya never really "hit it off" as standard conventions dictate. Rather, they tolerated each other until Nadeshiko brought it upon himself to leave. After that, it was safe to say that the two hated each other and that reconciliation was an event left to be determined.

Nadeshiko pushed that cumbersome ass out of his mind and focused on shuffling the cards that were suddenly set in front of him. The event described only a few short sentences before was, of course, not explicitly explained_ verbatim. _It was a complex web of subtle proceedings that dictated the disassembling of the Hibari household, much like a round table of six faces all twitching and flushing during a game of Poker that gave away losing hands. Nadeshiko split the deck, letting the cards in his left hand fall casually into his right. He peered at his challengers through messy black bangs. A purposed mafia boss and five of his lackeys; they weren't the most challenging people that he had ever faced. His most challenging game would have had to have been when he won his grumpy lewdly-tagged angel who was currently occupying the bed in his room upstairs. He always held games in the basement, where she wouldn't have to be subjected to the dark world of gambling.

Nadeshiko slammed the shuffled cards on the table, pushing the stack of red backed cards down the middle of the tacky green felt table towards his golden haired challenger. Determined chocolate-hued eyes stared back into Nadeshiko's steel blue orbs before splitting the deck in half, placing the right half over the left. The man used his tattooed arm to push the stack of cards back to Nadeshiko. The young male mussed his feathery black locks that fell in an annoyingly similar way to Hibari's and adjusted his goggles so that his bangs were pushed out of his face.

"What are we playing for, gentlemen?" Nadeshiko purred as per habit. It always seemed to add the air of authenticity to his ramshackle basement, taking away the fact that they were all sitting on emptied fruit boxes and that the table was a jilted wobbly table that Nadeshiko stole from a yard sale, hosed down, and tossed a heavy green blanket over. They weren't even in a basement; they were in Nadeshiko's kitchen that had candles lit for mood lighting.

"Information and a proposition devised with you in mind." Nadeshiko raised an eyebrow; it was rare that any propositions were "devised with him in mind." It sounded interesting.

"Is the proposition game relevant or not?"

"Not. You'll be offered the proposition at any rate, regardless of if either of us win or not." Nadeshiko looked around the table; it was five against one. Not that Nadeshiko minded. He had faced greater odds.

"Okay—wait." Nadeshiko thought he heard a pair of small feet padding across the wood paneling of his apartment. Oh, _shit_, he did. "Oh shit. Wait." On his way out of the kitchen, Nadeshiko blew out a candle that was dangerously close to the paper doilies that were made for décor's sake.

Nadeshiko slid the door closed that led into the kitchen and stared down the dark hallway towards the living room. Sure enough, his ward was curled up on the couch with a body pillow, her ochre colored locks mussed every which way. Her bangs were pinned away from her face, fully revealing the enormity of her forehead—a trait that Nadeshiko teased her about almost all the time when the forehead was visible. Her black eyes were wide open, leading Nadeshiko to come to the conclusion that she had had a night terror. He padded over to the couch and took a seat at the girl's feet, immediately reaching to stroke her hair. She was such a small and crippled thing when she was awakened out of a peaceful slumber; like an angel disturbed…

"You fucking pervert! You just want to touch me, don't you?" Did Nadeshiko think of her as an angel? He wouldn't be surprised if she woke her own damn self up; she was a living night terror…only she thrived during the day as well. "What are you doing up, anyway? We have a lot planned tomorrow and you're still up; probably watching fucking porn or something. Is that what you do; watch porn while I'm sleeping?"

"Shush, derisive dwarf of mine. You need your beauty rest; no use being flat and cranky forever, right?"

"Excuse me?" Nadeshiko turned away from his ward, lacing his arms behind his head.

"Well, and I mean this in the most subjective way possible, but maybe if you developed a bit more, people would be more attracted to your body than to your repulsive personality."

"Fuck you; like you're some god damn poster child for integrity! You're worse than I am, you shitty snarky kid!"

"I find it amusing that you can fit a curse word into every sentence, Naderu." Nadeshiko yawned, waving the young girl off. "Much less call me a kid."

"Fuck you." The small girl hugged her pillow tight to her chest and then stood up from the couch, heading towards her room.

"I hope that I've effectively chased away your night terrors, you lewdly named girl!" Nadeshiko yelled in a joking manner.

"I'd rather dream about getting eaten by spiders than have you chasing away anything that pertains to me!" Then the door to his room slammed shut. Nadeshiko slid into the kitchen and took his place at the ramshackle poker table without saying a word. He picked up the cards and started to deal.

"So…"

"I would prefer not to talk about it, Mr. Cavallone." Nadeshiko finished dealing and placed the remaining deck on the tabletop.

"Please; Mr. Cavallone is my father. Dino is fine."

"Where'd you pull that line from? One of your old Italian movies?"Nadeshiko watched the first of Dino's underlings, one Romario, draw a card and discard a two of hearts.

"It just came to mind." Dino amicably answered. "I feel pretty funny playing poker in a kitchen."

"Welcome to my world." Nadeshiko watched another of Dino's underlings discard a two of spades. Nadeshiko peered down at his own hand; three of a kind already. He had a seven of hearts, a seven of spades, and a seven of clubs. He scanned the faces of the men sitting around him. Dino seemed to be the only one who had any inkling of what a composed Poker Face looked like. His underlings looked distraught; confused.

The first hand continued with Nadeshiko, of course, winning. The second hand begun with Dino and Romario starting off strong, yet Nadeshiko made a comeback with a full house; two kings and three fives. The third hand was Nadeshiko's win without reservation; Dino had only gotten a high hand while Nadeshiko had procured a four of a kind; four queens in a row. By the fourth game, Nadeshiko had noticed that he was not playing a table, but playing a singular man. During his games, he had been careful to examine everyone's faces behind the veil of his hair and his cards. Dino's comrades came along to be the distractions. Their faces were too distraught, too flushed, and too rehearsed. They knew that they were dealing with a person who could sense discomfort and the inevitable defeat of his victims. Not to brag, but Nadeshiko _had _gotten around; his deck was pretty reputable. Nadeshiko knew by the fourth game that he was playing Dino, the man who was staying surprisingly cool when he was in hot water.

"Royal flush."

"Impressive. Three of a kind." The game was set for best out of five, so Nadeshiko still had his victory sealed. Letting his opponent win was a courtesy that he granted as a master player.

"I think that I should put something down on the table since we're so close to the end." Dino fished into his pocket and pulled out a stunning silver ring. The half crest that adorned the ring had the infinity symbol engraved into it, the top of the crest having three miniature seashells carved into it. Dino also put a stack of bills on the table, but that was irrelevant to Nadeshiko. The ring was beautiful; dazzling. A dull ache began to pester him, the sensation running down his fingertips and into his right arm. "This will be our all-or-nothing game."

"…they say you know a man by two things. How he plays cards and what he's willing to give up. I'll take you up on your offer." Nadeshiko had nothing to offer, so he did not put anything on the table…nothing but his pair of goggles. He didn't really like them anyway.

"Let the games begin, eh?"

"So now you're Canadian? Make up your mind."

Dino's subordinates rose from the table, standing behind their boss as he faced off with the young poker demon. Nadeshiko kept his wits about him, taking cards and surrendering cards in a methodical fashion. Nadeshiko wondered if he had a possibility of winning. He looked up at Dino's subordinates and was content with their worried expressions. He looked to the right of Dino and saw that his brown haired subordinate was tugging at his collar. Dino nudged the man's leg with his elbow, receiving another collar pull in return. That was a sign to fold; all five of the men looked nervous.

"I-I'll fold." Dino placed his hand right side up, showing Nadeshiko what he had been working with. A four of a kind; that was a very good hand. Nadeshiko stared down at his hand and stifled a grin before the hint of it could be seen on his face. He had gotten a straight flush; just his luck, too. Any less and he would have lost.

"Good on you." Nadeshiko gathered his treasures while laying his hand out for all present to see. He slid the bills in his pocket and slipped the silver ring around his thin finger. It picked up the soft candle light that filled the kitchen and gleamed attractively. "Wow, is this real silver?"

"As real as silver can get. I was directed by an anonymous donor to give it to you." Dino explained to the boy. Nadeshiko leaned back on his wrists and frowned. "Anonymous donor, huh? How interesting. I do have a lot of enemies; maybe it's set to open the lock to some otherworldly bomb or something."

"I'm not entirely sure myself. The donor explained nothing to me. I was just told that it was to get to you."

Nadeshiko nodded and stood up from the table. He moved systematically around the kitchen, blowing the dwindling candles out with smooth, drawn out exhales. Dino stood up as well, taking the chance to examine Nadeshiko in the darkness. Nadeshiko felt uncomfortable with Dino's scrutiny; providing that he had met _him_, his mind was probably organizing many questions and thoughts pertaining to countenance, character, astuteness, site, bloodthirstiness, combat skill, callousness, crudity, et cetera. Nadeshiko slid the kitchen door open with a glance towards the front door. Dino stared at Nadeshiko for a small while longer, the inquiry of his brown eyes becoming more concentrated. Nadeshiko refused to fidget beneath Dino's gaze. The principles of poker applied to any situation, and in this case, the duel was psychological.

"Are you related to Kyoya?" Dino questioned.

"What was your first clue; now get the fuck out."

Nadeshiko placed his hands against Dino's side and started to shove the male out of his home. The flaxen haired mafia boss had intruded on his personal life long enough. Poker games were never supposed to last outside the deck wreathed in red. If Dino wanted to pry, he could do it over a good game of poker where Nadeshiko wouldn't be predisposed to snapping at him. Being careful not to wake the slumbering girl in the rear room, Nadeshiko guided Dino towards the front door. He shoved the taller blonde out of the door and onto the patio that led to the staircase. Apparently Nadeshiko had pushed the man too hard, for he slammed into the railing with a barely suppressed grunt. That caused the door to the right of Nadeshiko's to open and reveal a disgruntled male with mussed silver hair. Nadeshiko didn't bother to restrain his snort of contempt for the prying teen.

"Can't you fucking keep it down?"

"Fuck you, Gokudera, go to hell." Nadeshiko snarled. Gokudera slid a pair of glasses from the collar of his white tee and put them onto his face. He regarded Dino with a wide pair of eyes and a scowl; two completely contradictory facial expressions that Gokudera somehow pulled off.

"Bucking Bronco? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Nadeshiko and I played a friendly card game." Dino claimed with a smile.

"Tch. Whatever. Just keep it down, asshole."

"Go drink some warm milk or something and go away." Nadeshiko snidely commented.

"Go to hell."

Dino and his men had retreated down the stairs while the two teen boys argued. Nadeshiko and Gokudera had clashed ever since Nadeshiko moved in next to him with Naderu in tow. Nadeshiko never understood what Gokudera's problem was with his existence. He just kept his distance although they attended the same school. Come to think of it, Nadeshiko kept his distance from almost everyone. Being the brother of the head prefect caused most of Nadeshiko's peers to keep their distance, no matter the filial detachment the two males subjected themselves to. Nadeshiko and Gokudera both retreated into their respective apartments, slamming their doors closed behind them.

Nadeshiko was met with an abysmally black apartment. Using the tips of his toes to canvas the layout of his living room, he carefully maneuvered around his rough-edged coffee table and light stands that stood beside his loveseat. He then made a straight trip down the long hallway that led to his bathroom. Of course, he stopped in the guest bathroom and took an obligatory before-bed potty break. He flushed and walked into his room quietly with regards to the slumbering girl on his bed. He saw his laptop's screen flashing impatiently, casting his silhouette against the farthest wall. Nadeshiko sat down at his desk and saw that someone was sending him an instant message. OmnipotentAlpha was a consistent element in Nadeshiko's internet life; someone or something that had wriggled into his list of friends and had refused to relinquish its grip. It wasn't like Nadeshiko wanted the someone or something to leave him at all; they were quite interesting…if not a bit on the neurotic side.

{**PedanticPenultimate **_has been contacted by _**OmnipotentAlpha**_._

**PP: **you do know what time it is where I am right? or is it that you dont really care?

**OA: **Fufu. Of course I care, PP-kun. It's just that today is really important for me!

**PP: **did you finally take over the world or whatever drabble you always spout when you log on? really your whole convoluted im-in-different-circles thing is really starting to get on my nerves. what is it like a story or something? do you start having lucid dreams or something and thats what the fuck youre talking about all the time?

**OA: **It's true! I saw you; I know I did. You were dressed in all blue, riding atop a shimmering white panther. You looked so noble, and—

**PP: **what the fuck white panthers dont exist panthers are only black

**OA: **Well, then it was a white…cat. A big white cat.

**PP: **did it have stripes? was it a tiger?

**OA: **Nope!

**PP: **leave me alone

**OA: **You seem to be in a bad mood…

**PP: **not in a bad mood necessarily just tired. i finished a poker game and got some good ass loot. i suppose that i can take a picture and show you later. i just got a ring and shit nothing special really.

**OA: **You really should show me tomorrow! I know it's nighttime where you are, so get a good night's sleep, PP-kun!

**OmnipotentAlpha **_begrudgingly left _**PedanticPenultimate** _alone._**}**

Nadeshiko closed his laptop and stood up from his desk. With a heavy exhale, he slid into his divan next to the tiny curled up body of his ward, Naderu. He placed his large hand over her tiny one and reveled comfortably in her messy nest of hair. Her body although diminutive was warm and inviting to Nadeshiko's aching limbs.

"Good night, Nadeshiko."

It was at times like these where Nadeshiko wished that he could cast a spell on Naderu and keep her in a constant drowsy haze. She was much more bearable that way.

* * *

_How did you like it? I don't particularly intend on begging for reviews, but I would enjoy reviews just to see what I need to improve upon or what I'm doing right. So if you're reading this, thank you for taking the time out of your day to enjoy this chapter._

_*Zengi means "the Labia" and Naderu means "To Stroke." Her name is a sexual pun, which is why Nadeshiko says she's lewdly tagged._

_*Speaking of name puns, the name "Nadeshiko" classically is partnered with the name "Yamato." "Yamato Nadeshiko" is used to give a name to the idea of a traditional Japanese woman. "Nadeshiko" also means "Large Pink," a flower that grows in high altitudes in Japan. _

_R&R, and until next time, readers._

_xAF_


	2. Card 2

_Hello,_ **AquilaFalcon** _here with a double update. Since I am a bridesmaid in a wedding set to occur on Saturday, I'm being shipped off to the beautiful state of Maryland on Wednesday. I want to get as much of my story on this site from now until Wednesday afternoon. So, I'll be doing double updates until I have all that I have finished on the site. I really do hope you all don't mind._

_Also, a large thank you to my first reviewer,_ **RainyParadise. **_I really do appreciate your kind words; they'll make me try harder for sure :) In lieu of my first reviewer, this chapter will be dedicated to her! Enjoy!_

**Title: **_Bad Luck!  
_

**Summary****:** _Hibari Nadeshiko has been eclipsed by his elder brother's shadow for as long as he can remember. As a gambler, he uses his wits and his gift of reading the emotions of others to get by and boost his own confidence. After a particularly testy battle with Hibari, he is offered a place in the Vongola alongside his companions. However, Nadeshiko has been dealt a prescribed hand of cards. He cannot add, he cannot throw away, he cannot trade in his hand. He has lost all the luck. All of it.  
_

**Pairings: **_OC x OC, yet it doesn't serve as the focus._

**Warnings: **_Foul language for Zengi Naderu's potty mouth (and to an extent, Nadeshiko's.)_

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own KHR. KHR belongs to Akira Amano and all other affiliated parties._

* * *

Nadeshiko and Naderu had a radically different daytime schedule than normal teenagers. First came the greetings; Nadeshiko's being vague and laden with yawns while Naderu's was curt and invective towards the morning sun, life, and being awake in general. Next came getting into the bathroom and getting ready; the two did everything but urinate and garb themselves in each other's presence. After fighting over toothpaste, mouthwash, hair oil, the hairbrush, and mirror space, the two contemplated on what would be for breakfast. By this time, the two would still be early even if they prepped, prepared, sat down, and ate a proper breakfast. However, Naderu did not know how to cook and Nadeshiko could not be bothered to. The two would settle for toast with pats of butter on it and then fish in their refrigerator for the lunches they made the night before. They would gather their bento and then leave the apartment.

At this point in time, they would take the scenic route towards Namimori Middle. Nadeshiko would do anything to prolong his time away from the accursed school while still maintaining his perfect attendance record. That meant walking by Sawada Tsunayoshi's abode. There was always something worth talking to OmnipotentAlpha about whenever Nadeshiko passed _that _house. There was always something going on, whether it be random explosions, tiny tots chasing each other into the streets while brandishing toy guns and grenades, or Tsuna tripping and falling to get to school on time. He was always on time since Nadeshiko and Naderu accompanied him to the middle school, and they were never late. Not if Naderu could help it.

In context, now, Nadeshiko and Naderu have gotten their break of day ministrations out of the way and were walking to Sawada's home. Nadeshiko looked like a more subdued, reserved Kyoya. His blazer was buttoned, his slacks were pressed, and his shoes were polished meticulously. Naderu had her blazer slung over her shoulder, short gray skirt offering a scanty glance of her boy shorts every time her hips moved. Nadeshiko always hated the prescribed length of the middle school skirts; they were too short for anyone. When they reached Sawada's house, a tiny toddler clad in cow print flew from the window clutching a hot pink grenade in his hand. Naderu turned towards the door of the Sawada household to see the boy with his messy head of brown hair bursting out of the door.

"Oh, Naderu-san, Nadeshiko-kun! Good morning!" Sawada Tsunayoshi was Namimori's personal poster child for a school's hardest efforts being in vain when it came to natural failures. No matter how highly ranked Namimori was Sawada Tsunayoshi was the child keeping them from being perfect. "Are we late?"

"We're right on time as always, Sawada! Seriously, can't you be a bit more relaxed?" Nadeshiko wished that Naderu would regard him without cursing him out. He wished he was Sawada. "I brought you some toast, Sawada." Naderu extended the slice of toast that had been in her mouth previously. Without saying, Sawada's cheeks became ruddy with embarrassment.

"A-Ah! That's okay, Naderu-san!" Tsuna waved the slice of toast away, garnishing a fierce obsidian glare from Naderu. "Hiiiie! Don't glare at me like that!"

"Yo, Tsuna!"

"Juudaime!"

The familiar greetings from Tsuna's other companions filled the air. Of course, Nadeshiko could pinpoint Gokudera's raspy call of loyalty from a mile away. The more light hearted, boyish call came from the tallest member of the group, Yamamoto Takeshi. He was the one person who could make anyone get along with him, or at the very least garner some respect from those who would refuse his friendship. Nadeshiko greatly respected the boy and they were friends to an extent. Naderu put on a ruse as if she barely tolerate Yamamoto, but in actuality, she loved him just as much as everyone else…well, almost everyone.

"Baseball idiot! Stop addressing Juudaime so familiarly! I've told you time and time again and—!"

"Shut the fuck up, Gokudera! You're always fucking up everybody's morning, and it's like you can't ever just be happy for once and say good morning like everyone else without demeaning someone!" Naderu interjected vehemently, thrusting a slender finger in Gokudera's direction.

"You're the one that should shut the hell up, you cranky messy haired midget!"

"What the fuck'd you call me; I'll kick your ass, you son of a bitch!"

It was at this point that Yamamoto and Nadeshiko both decided to intervene. Yamamoto moved fluidly and without hesitation, grabbing the irate Gokudera by the shoulder. Nadeshiko envied the tall athlete; he had to be more vigilant for self-preservation purposes. Dealing with Naderu could be a Spartan endeavor. He took the small girl awkwardly by her shoulders and pulled her back into his chest; an amateur move that he scolded himself inwardly for. Nadeshiko's nose was smashed by a tiny elbow fueled by ire and derision for the silver-haired boy that had vexed her and the brunette that had only tried to help calm her down. Naderu walked ahead of the group of males, fed up with having to be around the two banes of her existence any longer. Tsuna and Yamamoto followed suit with Nadeshiko and Gokudera being left to nurse their battle scars, external or otherwise.

The quintet arrived at Namimori right on schedule, with a few minutes to spare. That was what Nadeshiko hated about meeting up with Tsuna and having the ever-punctual Naderu drag him out of the apartment. Being early was a terrible omen since it always seemed like he came face-to-face with Hibari. A sense of dread filled the muddled haired male's stomach as he scanned the expanse of the courtyard with his steel blue optics. There were remnants of the Disciplinary Committee around, but no Hibari in sight. A sly grin creased Nadeshiko's face; the fact that Hibari wasn't prowling the schoolyard like some predator bore well on his fortune. Perhaps he should instigate a poker game with some of the school's delinquents. They were always the best players in terms of what they had to offer.

"Stop daydreaming, you stupid asshole!" Naderu shouted to Nadeshiko across the school yard. "Hurry up before _Hibari _catches you!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!"

Nadeshiko's eyes panned across the school yard. Hibari could come out of nowhere and he would be ever oblivious to his onslaught. After surmising that the coast was clear, Nadeshiko dashed across the school yard with his shoulder bag in tow. Naderu leaned against the heavy doors of the entrance to keep the venue open for the sprinting male. When Nadeshiko reached the door without issue, he slowed to a light jog and caught up with Tsuna and the others. Naderu stayed behind and went to one of the vending machines available to get a loaf of melon-pan for a more substantial breakfast. Nadeshiko _would _wait on her, but he would be risking a Hibari encounter. He couldn't bear one of them, not when he had predicted a day rife with fortune. He made his way to class 1-A, taking his seat in the third row at the desk nearest the window. Naderu sat right in front of him, always taking detailed notes and actually paying attention during class. Nadeshiko had too much on his mind to start paying attention, of all things.

Naderu came into the classroom two minutes late with a large loaf of melon-pan. She took her seat in front of Nadeshiko and unwrapped her breakfast, but not before taking out her spiral notebook in order to take notes. Nadeshiko, on the other hand, had propped up his notebook so that it was blocking his hands. He was busy at work shuffling his deck of cards. Nadeshiko really wanted to leave the drab confines of the classroom and participate in something meaningful; a game of wits and strategy that combined human psychology and social skills into the span of a few hours. To Nadeshiko, poker really was the ultimate game. Bringing it from the west to Japan was certainly an elegant move on his part. Nadeshiko felt the cards leave his right hand and uniformly spill into the palm of his left, caressing his perspiring palms with light tufts of air. It was a sin to enjoy something this way; to revel in poker even when he wasn't playing it had to be angering some god somewhere. Well, gambling was a sin anyway…

"Hibari-san! Can you answer this equation?" Nadeshiko hadn't been paying attention at all, so he stared at the teacher's long stick of chalk to see where he was pointing. He was pointing to a binomial expansion problem; something that was simple yet very, very tedious. "Come up to the board, please."

Nadeshiko gathered up his calculator for good measure and moved to the board to perform the action commanded of him, like a fleshy computer. As he started to write out the expansion of the equation, his one-track mind inevitably reflected on the love of his life—poker. The spades on the glossy cards, the anguished faces of opponents defeated by a simple flush, the kings, queens, and jokers cheering triumphantly as their master, Hibari Nadeshiko, held them towards the heavens—

"Hibari-san, this isn't art class!"

"What the hell are you talking about; I'm—oh my _god._"

Nadeshiko's outburst and subsequent embarrassment gave the class the leeway to laugh. Gokudera and Naderu's peals of laughter stung the most since they both already thought that Nadeshiko was a card game obsessed imbecile. On the board was a caricature of himself holding hands with the king of hearts, queen of diamonds, and jack of clubs. They were all nude with the omission of oak leaves shrouding their private parts. Nadeshiko started to erase the picture from the board to prevent anyone from taking a picture of it and circulating it through the student body. After taking a few deep breaths at the board, he returned to his seat with ruddy cheeks. Apparently, Tsuna had been the only one not laughing at him. The brunette cast Nadeshiko a considerate glance before being called up to solve the problem correctly. Nadeshiko watched as Tsuna struggled to place the exponents and numbers in the right places, his tiny hands trembling around the stick of chalk. He supposed that whatever Sawada did would be better than what he had done; at least Sawada wrote numbers down.

**(_This is a divider this is a divider this is a divider OwO)_**

"Alright, alright, no shoving, no shoving. The beating's gonna be merciless anyway, so might as well cool your jets—oh, a lunch box? I like the looks of that—a gold watch? Somebody's mother loves them—a new pair of kicks! Hey, what the hell? My sneakers look like shit anyway!"

The roof was the area where Nadeshiko practiced his gambling ministrations. There was no ill intent at this table; the very pinnacle of order and lawfulness was made into the seedy backdrop for the young men that sat around an overturned bucket. There were deviants from every grade level and walk of life, from rebellious rich boys to downtrodden city boys looking for luck. Nadeshiko would take stock of the betting goods of six players and place them underneath the bucket. Whoever won the poker game obtained the bucket. Nadeshiko always got the bucket. It didn't muff anybody who sat down, however. Most of the goods placed underneath the bucket were things that the players either had plenty of or didn't want anymore. Nadeshiko was glad to take any attractive good off hand. After shuffling his deck, he passed out five cards to all players sitting around the bucket. A few of the players had brought their girlfriends or bros with them for luck's sake. Nadeshiko always found that it didn't matter.

"Go, my pupil! Use your mind and heart to the extreme!" All heads turned to the male sitting closest to Nadeshiko's right who was currently trying to hide his bright red cheeks. His sempai was embarrassing him, the ever lively Sasagawa Ryohei tagging along with his faithful underling served to be nothing but a mistake. Nadeshiko hid his snicker behind the ruse of a cough, always finding pleasure at Ryohei's antics. They were never intentional because the boy was trapped in a perpetual land of extremities of which he was the sole king. "Nadeshiko-san, this is another extreme table!"

"I've been getting better at setting up a more hospitable playing field. Nobody needs to bring anything flashy; just a partner and a love for the risks involved." Nadeshiko leaned back on his left palm, his poker face habitually sliding into place.

"Let's do this! Everyone do your best, and don't let the extreme odds against you peter out your spirit!"

The patrons at the poker bucket laughed and anteed up, ready to win or lose. To everyone, it was a simple game. The players bet over trinkets like shoes, their lunches, or a few bills. But nobody ever got angry. Nobody ever cheated. The group would go in knowing they were playing one of the best. And at times, Nadeshiko would lose a few hands just to keep the jovial spirit up. Ryohei would rambunctiously cheer on his student, not wasting a moment to point out a good card when he saw one. The group only had their meager lunch period to play, so Nadeshiko made the match two out of three hands. He purposefully lost one to drag the match out a bit longer. A few flushed hands later, and Nadeshiko gathered up his bucket of prizes just as the bell signaling the resumption of classes sounded. Ryohei lingered on the roof with the raven haired boy as he examined his new pair of black kicks, gold link watch, four hundred fifty yen, a scrupulously prepared bento, a pair of rounded shades, and a new pair of snowboarding goggles. Nadeshiko handed the bucket and its contents to Ryohei, keeping the goggles for himself. They had a black band with stunningly beautiful cobalt blue lenses. There was a small emblem on the side of the band; a dark blue target with a small star in the middle. Nadeshiko could hardly believe his eyes. These goggles were the new Target*STAR goggles that were just put out on the market; well over four thousand yen. And yet here they were, right in his hands.

Rapture.

Nadeshiko strapped the goggles onto his head and then gathered his bucket from Ryohei. He would probably donate the sneakers and money, eat the bento, and give the watch to Naderu. Ryohei relinquished the bucket to Nadeshiko as the two left the roof and walked into the upper classmen's hallway. Classes had already resumed moments before, so they were both late. Nadeshiko knew that he was in very real danger. The top floor was where _he _resided. If Nadeshiko was caught with this bucket filled with "ill-gotten" contraband, he'd certainly receive the full force of steel against his teeth. He remembered the last time _he _knocked his teeth down his throat. Luckily for Nadeshiko, the unfortunate molar had been nestled in the very back of his mouth and was thus never missed. Bidding Ryohei farewell, Nadeshiko ran down the stairs to the first floor. He _needed _to stash this bucket before he was killed.

Nadeshiko made it to the first floor with success, walking past his classroom and towards the cubbies where the students stored their shoes and other items of assessment. He was so close; now all he had to do deposit the contents of the bucket into his cubby and—

"I knew I smelled desperation and corrupt dealings; a familiar musk for you, herbivore." Nadeshiko barely suppressed the fuck that thickened his tongue; as a matter of fact, he didn't repress it.

"_Fuck._" Nadeshiko hissed and opened his cubby, dumping his winnings inside. He secured his spoils and then turned to face his callous other. "Hibari Kyoya."

"You have been gambling on school grounds as well as skipping class to do so. I'll bite you to death for your belligerence." Hibari drew his tonfa immediately without gaining a reaction from Nadeshiko. "Have you resigned and accepted your punishment, herbivore?"

"Fuck yo' couch!"

Nadeshiko had been grasping, pleading his more cunning side to think of something more eloquent to say to his brother's face. He had found nothing but the above. It served its purpose; instead of being flowery and long, it was curt and baffling. It was the five second head start Nadeshiko needed to try and sprint to his classroom.

Only this time, Hibari wasn't having it. He was well prepared for his sibling's antics; in fact, Kusakabe Tetsuya was at the entrance to the first year hallway braced for impact. When Nadeshiko collided with the fleshy barrier, two strong hands wrapped around his arms and refused to yield to his physical ministrations. He was made to face Hibari, staring the dark orbs down with his own vaguely lighter hued ones. The callous predatory gleam in Hibari's eyes never failed to make Nadeshiko's blood run cold. Just because he was the prefect's sibling didn't mean he got special treatment. As a matter of fact, Nadeshiko's insubordination was a reason to Hibari to play with his prey before beating it relentlessly, until it was nothing but a writhing mass of crushed bone and pulpy, bloody tissue underneath the heel of his immaculately polished boot.

Shit.

"How many times have you tried that herbivorous method of escape?" Hibari slid the end of his tonfa underneath Nadeshiko's chin, pressing the blunt end into the younger boy's throat. Nadeshiko had already had trouble breathing before that cumbersome pressure was crushed against his windpipe. "You're the same every single time…" Hibari twisted the blunt end of the tonfa, causing Nadeshiko to gasp for breath after restraining the desire to before. "Look at you. You are a reprehensible herbivore; you can't even hide the blood from rushing to your face. Your body betrays you constantly when you're in front of me."

"You're enjoying this, you sick fuck." Nadeshiko choked out. Hibari pressed his other tonfa against the pale boy's stomach, forcing the butterflies that had been rapidly aflutter in his stomach to spontaneously become aflame and desperately beat their wings against his innards in their last dying troughs. Needless to say, that was a feeling most uncomfortable. "Get off of me…"

"Repeat yourself, herbivore." Hibari drew his tonfa away from Nadeshiko's abdomen only to drive the end of it roughly into his torso, just above his stomach.

"Ggghh! Hibari, please!"

"Release him, Kusakabe." The older male obeyed Hibari and backed away from the spectacle about to unfold. "You've mastered a good deal of the herbivorous arts; gambling, crawling, and supplicating. Now you will learn how to bear being bitten to death by a predator." And the assault began.

Hibari had wasted no time in leaping upon Nadeshiko like he was a stranger or a criminal. Nadeshiko closed his eyes, refusing to let Hibari see the shame and tears that mingled and threatened to pool over underneath his eyelashes. Rough, merciless blows peppered his arms and torso the most, hitting his legs in sparse moments of respite. Hibari had one chance to land a particularly rough blow to Nadeshiko's cheek, causing the prostrate male's left rear most molar to roll down his throat. He could feel his cheek swelling whilst Hibari broke into his locker and took out the bucket of prizes. He was confiscating them _for Namimori. _

"Get the fuck off of him, you god damn asshole!" No, not Naderu. Nadeshiko would take all of Hibari's rage if it meant that Naderu wouldn't weasel herself into their squabbles. Hibari grabbed Nadeshiko's collar and yanked the battered male onto his feet. Nadeshiko hid his bruising cheek in shame, keeping his back turned to the girl.

"Herbivore, your place is in—"

"I don't give a fuck where I'm supposed to be! I went to the bathroom and saw Kusakabe coming down the hallway! I could only guess who was at the end of this and it was you!"

"I'll bite you to death."

"Not before I bite you first!"

"Naderu…" Nadeshiko turned to the girl after abating his feelings of humiliation, although those feelings trickled down like sweet oil onto the already blazing butterflies that painfully ran rampant in his stomach.

"Shut the hell up, Nadeshiko! If you weren't such an insufferable pussy, I wouldn't be coming to save your ass!"

"I'll bite you to death."

"Bring it on!"

Hibari and Naderu clashed, the young girl producing a small sickle out of her blazer. Hibari murmured something akin to "carrying weapons of any kind is against regulation" before Naderu swung at his head with the bladed object. Hibari jumped back, sacrificing a few threads of hair in exchange for the safety of his cranium. The bell signaling the end of the day sounded, the hallways steadily filling with the sounds of exiting students. Hibari glared at both Naderu and Nadeshiko before moving into the crowded walkways for his end of the day patrol. Nadeshiko walked to his cubby, gathered his contraband into his bucket, and then sat on the bench to wait for Tsunayoshi. The young boy always brought his shoulder bag to him if he didn't come back to class. Naderu sat beside her older ward and concealed her sickle, her messy bangs slicked to her head with sweat. Nadeshiko didn't know what she was sweating for; the damage had already been done.

_**(Another one of these? -Yes. -I guess it's inevitable...)**_

**{****OmnipotentAlpha **_has started to harass_ **PedanticPenultimate~**

**OA: **How was school today, PP-kun? Work?

**PP: **it all fucking sucked. my heartless brother beat me half to death. my boss asked me if naderu was abusing me and i had to explain the fact that im being victimized by a member of my own house.

**OA: **But…he doesn't live with you, does he?

**PP: **filial house, OA.

**OA: **Oh…oh! You mean like family trees!

**PP: **what if your family isnt big; wouldnt it be a family bush then?

**OA: **Well, it'd be a shrub if it was really, _really _small. Because shrubs are smaller than bushes.

**PP: **i like bushes.

**OA: **Okay, school sucked. But how about work? How about that poker game, too? You said you'd take pictures for me! I'm really interested!

**PP: **geez, youre so selfish. im pouring myself out to you and all you can do is focus on my poker winnings? youre a complete monster and i love you for it.

**OA: **Please, don't flatter me, PP-kun. Fufufu.

**PP: **flattery not intended trust me. i was being scathingly sarcastic like my coworkers were when they made jokes about my lack of a dick and my master being a diminutive demon girl.

**OA: **Silly coworkers; demons don't exist!

**PP: **narude does.

**OA: **Oh, I get it! Because Narude-chan is insufferably evil and bitchy, right? Those are the characteristics of demons, right?

**PP: **girl ones anyway.

[**2 attachments were added to the log]**

** PP: **theres my new snowboard goggles and this kickass ring i got yesterday. the rest of my shit got stolen by my brother. i intend to retrieve my winnings one of these days.

**OA: **Wow, everything looks fantastic, PP-kun! But why is the ring broken?

**PP: **hell if i know. all i know is that its killer and im keeping it. this thing is awesome. anyway im tired bruised and need to read narude her bedtime story. so talk to you tomorrow, OA.

**OA: **I'll talk to you tomorrow, PP-kun! Put some ice on your wounds, okay? It'd be a shame if you bruised that beautiful face of yours!

**PP: **oh how would you know?

[**PedanticPenultimate **_has ceased contacting_ **OmnipotentAlpha**]

**OA: **You would be surprised at my wealth of knowledge, Hibari Nadeshiko-kun. Fufufufufu…}

* * *

_Before I continue the story, I understand the chat logs can be a bit confusing. So, I'll explain at least OmnipotentAlpha a bit. S/he is either a canon or a non-canon character (depending on how you view him/her) with a great hand in Nadeshiko's development later on. S/he will manifest him/herself physically soon enough. :)_

_Thank you for reading again and I hope that you enjoyed the double update. c:_

_xAF_


	3. Card 3

_Hello readers!_ **AquilaFalcon **_here with another double update day. Today, I will be uploading chapters three and four of_ **Bad Luck!****. **_I've gotten two reviews which I find absolutely **fantastic. **For my first story, it's already getting a lot of kind words and I feel so happy. Thank you to my reviewers_ **RainyParadise **_and _**Kohanita. **_You two said such good things about this story and I hope I can continue to please you. _

_I also want to say thank you to my boyfriend who's been supporting me through this whole affair. So, thanks to all three of my supporters. It may seem like a small number to be so excited over, but I can't help it. I'm really so honored to be putting out a story that people like. _

**Title: **_Bad Luck!  
_

**Summary****:** _Hibari Nadeshiko has been eclipsed by his elder brother's shadow for as long as he can remember. As a gambler, he uses his wits and his gift of reading the emotions of others to get by and boost his own confidence. After a particularly testy battle with Hibari, he is offered a place in the Vongola alongside his companions. However, Nadeshiko has been dealt a prescribed hand of cards. He cannot add, he cannot throw away, he cannot trade in his hand. He has lost all the luck. All of it.  
_

**Pairings: **_OC x OC (It's really not all that present, however it is implied later.)  
_

**Warnings: **_Foul language for Zengi Naderu's potty mouth (and to an extent, Nadeshiko's.)_

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own KHR. KHR belongs to Akira Amano and all other affiliated parties._

* * *

"Welcome to Akiguchi, ladies. Please, come take a seat."

Nadeshiko was lucky that his employer was an understanding and compassionate man. Whenever Nadeshiko couldn't find it in himself to go to school, Akiguchi Hiro would let him work from morning to evening; from when the sun bleached the indigo sky 'til the smoldering twilight orb set the sky ablaze in a spectacular array of violets, rose pinks, and oranges. Hiro, Nadeshiko, and his two female coworkers enjoyed each other's company as they worked the café. The warm inviting smells of freshly brewed green teas and robust coffees sweetened with thick cream and cinnamon left no room for malice or ill-intent. The comfortable interior of the café combined with the inviting exterior and relaxing scents of fresh brews and delectable baked goods could force even the crabbiest to let down their guard. One of Nadeshiko's coworkers, a beautiful female named Akibara Rumiko, told him to bring his menacing sibling in and see if they couldn't connect over a cup of coffee. Nadeshiko politely, fearfully, refused.

It was the start of the afternoon rush, so most people were just going to the counter to get a slice of cake or a mochi cake fashioned in the shape of a rabbit with a cup of coffee or tea. Nadeshiko's coworkers were at school, so it was only he and Hiro in the shop. Nadeshiko was reclining on an off-ivory colored booth chair that was fashioned around a dark brown table. A deer head on a plaque was hanging about his head, highlighting Hiro's past as a hunter. Hiro had grown older and more portly, salt-and-pepper hair falling to the nape of his neck while one thick lock was flipped eloquently over his forehead. His kind dark brown eyes regarded everyone with the same level of respect. He was never higher or lower than anyone. He was such a balanced person, and it was no surprise that his café reflected the individual he was on the inside.

The counter was shaped in a circle shape in the middle of the café, leaving room for the rest of the décor. Off-ivory sofas and loveseats were arranged around dark brown tables and candle stands that smelled like milk and honey. The dark brown tables were decorated like chocolates; swirls of white draped over the surfaces of the tables and set the mood for some good eating. Nadeshiko got hungrier and hungrier just observing the layout of the café. It was as if it was specifically designed to make your stomach feel empty.

There was a brief respite in the café, that ambiguous gray area where people stopped pooling in by the dozens. Hiro leaned against the counter and exhaled, pulling a chocolate cornet from the display case. Nadeshiko approached the counter, subconsciously bracing himself for the evening rush. That was when a lot of people liked to sit down, eat, and socialize. It was also at that time that his coworkers came to assist him in seating and serving customers. Nadeshiko asked for a cup of coffee, black. Hiro reached back to the brewing pot and ladled some coffee into an espresso cup. It made Nadeshiko feel fancy, even if the cup was being inappropriately used.

"How's your cheek doing, Nadeshiko-kun?" Hiro asked with concern. Nadeshiko rubbed the tender flesh gently with the tips of his fingers. It had lowered overnight, and was now just red and sore.

"It's fine. Hibari didn't beat me as badly as I thought." Nadeshiko sipped his coffee and exhaled. "I think my integrity and dignity are still healing, though."

"You're a gambler; your integrity was in the shitter anyway, right?" Hiro and Nadeshiko chuckled, biting into their dessert and sipping their beverage respectively.

A tiny bell chimed and the sleek silhouette of Akibara Rumiko filled the doorway of the café. Her curly blonde hair tickled her jaw and chin, brushing against her long, dark eyelashes. Nadeshiko liked Rumiko; she was playful and absolutely gorgeous, albeit flat as a board in the front. The back was another story. Nadeshiko tugged at the collar of his button-up shirt that had suddenly tightened its grip around his neck and watched Rumiko walk past him and into the employee only area to change into her uniform. He grinned nervously as he eyed her ample bottom; one day he'd just grab a big handful and-

"Oh, god, you're the most desperate horny kid I've ever seen in my life." Hiro croaked from behind the counter. Nadeshiko slapped his forehead to force the perverse thoughts out of the forefront of his mind.

"I'm not desperate!" Nadeshiko exclaimed.

"Because boning Naderu isn't desperate, right?" Rumiko jeered playfully from the back of the café.

"What are you implying, Rumiko?"

"Well, when you're living with such a young lively girl combined with that nasty habit of yours…"

"Go change before you're late, Rumiko!" Nadeshiko said, effectively ending the insulting banter. His love for the queen of diamonds was shameless. He regretted nothing.

The door to Akiguchi opened, and although there didn't seem to be anyone particularly imposing in the doorway, a thick arresting aura filled the café immediately. Nadeshiko made a motion to loosen his tie but his fingers locked up around the knot at his neck. The person that had sat at the table closest to him was…not what he expected. As a matter of fact, the young person looked like he had come straight out of the pages of a shonen manga.

His black hair was short, combed over to the right so that unruly spikes shrouded his eyes. The tips of the jet black spikes were wreathed in a dark cobalt blue. His dark cobalt eyes were hidden behind shades with exaggerated pointed ends. Two quills of hair stood up from the side of his hair that he had slicked back with hair gel. He was wearing something simple; a white tee with a blue collar, a pair of black jeans with a blue belt, and a pair of black sneakers. As the male turned his back to all in company to stare out of the window, Nadeshiko spied what looked like a sword strapped to his back. Just who was this guy? Hiro and Nadeshiko exchanged glances, Hiro shrugging in bafflement. Might as well serve him anyway. Nadeshiko cautiously approached the table where the boy was seated only to get glared at over a small shoulder.

"Coffee. Black coffee." The boy turned away with a pout, expecting Nadeshiko to scurry away to the counter to get his brew. However, Nadeshiko couldn't take his eyes off of the Lilliputian male in front of him. "Coffee, bean monkey. Didn't you hear me the first time?"

"…Aren't you a little bit too young to be ordering coffee?"

Nadeshiko barely had time to register feelings of panic and fear before the male had grabbed him by his necktie and drew him so close that he could smell the lingering spice of brandy on the child's breath. "Did I stutter, mother fucker? I said I want black coffee because I have a hangover bigger than my dick right now!"

"It can't be that big…" Nadeshiko murmured.

"So you're a smart bean monkey, huh?" Nadeshiko was socked in the face with the force of a speeding semi. A knee slammed roughly into his stomach, driving the same amount of that inhuman crippling force through his whole body. Nadeshiko sunk to the ground, clutching his stomach. His left cheek was starting to swell once again.

"Oh my god, did you just get beat up by a ten year old?" Rumiko walked out in her uniform, the dark brown pencil skirt clinging to her hips.

"Shut up, bitch, and get me the coffee your buddy here couldn't!" Rumiko walked behind the counter and pushed past a befuddled Hiro to pour a brisk black brew into a coffee mug. Nadeshiko grabbed at the edge of the table with his right hand and heaved himself onto his feet, not bothering to glare at the male. "That's a nice ring, kid."

"What's it to you, you cantankerous little shit? Hiro, can you get me a bag of ice? Thanks." Hiro started to move slowly, still staring with mouth agape at the small boy who was now standing on the cream colored sofa he had occupied.

"I want that ring. Looks important."

"It is and you aren't getting it." Nadeshiko said. Rumiko placed the mug in front of the male and watched him glare at the ivory mug.

"Uhm, do you have a straw or something?"

"I just saw you punch out a rippling teenage boy; humor me and drink it without one." Rumiko said with a slight smirk. The young boy rolled his eyes, lifted the mug with one hand, and started pouring the scalding hot coffee down his throat. "So, what's your name, kid?"

The boy swallowed before saying, "Chiisai."

"Well, you certainly are fetching, little guy. Want something to eat?"

"And you called me desperate; you're flirting with a ten year old." Nadeshiko snidely commented. Rumiko rolled her eyes and stroked Nadeshiko's bruising cheek.

"Do you have chocolate cake? Oh, and I would like some mochi. And some miterashi dango would be good too. And another mug of coffee. You know, you look like a dude."

Rumiko visibly bristled. "I resent that, twerp."

"And I resent you looking like a dude; glad we're on the same page."

"Do you have the money to pay for all that, kid?" Nadeshiko asked with a scowl. Chiisai stared up at him before nodding and stabbing a finger into his bruised stomach.

"Yeah, _you'd _better have the money to cover me, fucknuts."

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Nadeshiko felt like his testicles were running for cover into his body. He was bullied by Naderu, beaten into submission by Kyoya, and now some kid had kicked his ass and was pushing his café bill onto him. "You've got to be _fucking _kidding me."

"Well, I'm not kidding you, kid." Chiisai sat on the tabletop, eyeing the ring that fit snugly around Nadeshiko's right finger. "That really is a nice ring. Who gave it to you?"

"A friend of mine named Cavallone." Nadeshiko took a seat, cradling his stomach. He was sure that if he stared down at it, he would be spotted with purple polka-dots.

"Cavallone? I know a Cavallone; dude named Dino, right?" Nadeshiko nodded, feeling the beginnings of a headache at the base of his left temple. "Yeah, he's a klutz. Can't disrespect the kid, though; he can kick ass."

"He can't play a suitable game of poker to save his life." Nadeshiko said with a slight grin.

"You can play poker?" Plates of sweets were placed upon the table top; chocolate cornets glistening with butter, decadent slices of chocolate cake, and sweet mugs of mocha with dollops of whipped cream. Nadeshiko grabbed a mochi cake and Chiisai grabbed a mug of mocha with a slice of chocolate cake. "Are you any good at it?"

"I haven't lost a game in ten years. The first time I lost was when I first started playing." Nadeshiko crammed the mocha cake into his mouth and tried his best to grind it into a paste that was easier to swallow. His jaw wasn't recovering from the abuse it was suffering. "You can play?"

"No, just asking. The first time I tried to play, I had my dick sucked by a transvestite." Nadeshiko burst into laughter, hiding his snorts behind his hand. "Really; it was the bet I put on the table. Seriously, I said, "If I lose this game, I will allow myself to get sucked off by a transvestite!" True story."

Nadeshiko was handed a bag of ice by Hiro who came to the table with a hot silver kettle of coffee in his left hand. He refilled Chiisai's mug and then retreated to the safe haven behind the counter. Rumiko was greeting other patrons of the café and guiding them to tables a comfortable distance from Nadeshiko and Chiisai. Soon, the café was filled with laughter and leisurely chatter. Even Chiisai had settled down once enough caffeine was in his system to regulate the effects of the alcohol. The two males started to talk indolently and without any curses being slung around without restraint. Chiisai was standing with his arms akimbo next to the table, his eyelids threatening to cover his burning cobalt orbs. Nadeshiko watched the young man as he swayed back and forth just as a ship on turbulent waters would. He reached out and caught the young man before he fell and hurt himself.

"Ugh...damn, I haven't slept in a while." Chiisai bemoaned to himself. Nadeshiko bit his lower lip and stood up, walking over to the counter with the boy in hand. "What are you doing?"

"Hiro, take the expenses of everything he ordered out of my paychecks as you see fit." Hiro and Chiisai both exchanged bewildered looks and then stared at Nadeshiko. "I'm taking this kid home."

"What? Aw, come on, dude. You don't need to do that for me for free…" Nadeshiko let go of the boy's hand and started down the street to his house. Casting a glance behind his shoulder, he grinned and turned away.

"It's not for free. You're paying my rent."

"What? Fuck that; I'd rather freeze out here!"

_**(The return o**__**f the divider, dividing your page owo)**_

Nadeshiko and Chiisai entered the apartment with much trepidation. On their expedition to the neighborhood, Nadeshiko had warned Chiisai about the demon that resided in his house. Her hair was messy and was the color of dried blood. Her eyes were smoldering obsidian pits of detestation and contempt. She couldn't prepare a wholesome meal from the heart or offer words of consoling to the injured or downtrodden. Her very existence was founded on making the subsistence of others miserable. After embellishing Naderu's shortcomings and less than favorable personality traits to the point where she was nothing short of impious, Chiisai voiced his hesitation of staying at the apartment. Nadeshiko only laughed and said that he would forgive Chiisai's expenses completely if he could handle Naderu. Chiisai could only try.

Nadeshiko and Chiisai stared into the apartment and found with much anxiety that the demon was nowhere in visible sight. Nadeshiko let Chiisai walk deeper into the apartment first just in case Naderu was going to hurl a knife in his direction. He might as well use the young lad as a living shield if he was going to push his expenses on him and cost him a paycheck and a half. When the two males reached Nadeshiko's room, Naderu was complacently sitting on the side of the bed with the tips of her toes brushing against the ground. Her glare was something conjured from the depths of hell itself. Probably deeper than that. Some sort of…mega hell.

"Why are you so late? And who's this fucker?" Naderu pointed to Chiisai while her onyx glare was relentlessly settled onto Nadeshiko's trembling figure. After gauging both of the boys' states of horror, she yelled once more. "_Answer me._"

"He's our new tenant, Naderu," Nadeshiko slowly started to explain, "And since you're complaining daily about my being larger than you, I got you someone your own size to beat the shit out of."

Nadeshiko watched Naderu's onyx eyes settle onto Chiisai's lax form. The male seemed not to be so put off by the "demon" anymore. Chiisai approached Naderu and extended his gloved right hand. Naderu placed her hand into Chiisai's with a light pat of skin meeting leather. Nadeshiko sat at his desk and opened his laptop, figuring that OmnipotentAlpha had been messaging him nonstop. However, when he ran his messaging system, someone else entirely was contacting him. As Chiisai and Naderu conferred together side-by-side on his bed, Nadeshiko investigated the handle of the person who was currently contacting him. It was someone by the name ZEN. They were frantically trying to contact _someone_; Nadeshiko's messenger would not stop giving off distressed blips. He finally decided to answer.

{**PedanticPenultimate **_started messaging _**ZEN**.

**PP: **who is this?

**ZEN: **WE DID IT.

**PP: **who did what? OA stop trying to upset me its not working.

**ZEN: **WE DID IT. YOUR IGNORANCE WAS WELL INVESTED UPON.

**PP: **if i could follow all of this i would, trust me.

**ZEN: **EVEN NOW YOU ACT LIKE A COMPLETE MORON. YOUR IDIOCY IS IRREFUTABLE. IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE YOU ARE OF THE SAME SEED AS HIBARI KYOYA.

**PP: **yeah that shocks most people.

**ZEN: **YOU TRULY ARE UNBEARABLE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

**PP: **glad you think so will it get you to leave me the fuck alone?

**ZEN: **I DO BELIEVE I HAVE WASTED ENOUGH TIME DEALING WITH YOU. YOU CANNOT FEEL THE FULL WEIGHT OF YOUR ACTIONS AND IN TURN YOU DID NOT BREAK IN THE WAY THAT I HAD HOPED. BUT THAT IS FINE. ONE DAY YOU WILL SEE AND YOU WILL CRUMBLE IN THE MOST DELICIOUSLY PATHETIC WAY POSSIBLE.

**PP: **yeah okay.

**PedanticPenultimate **_royally flipped off _**ZEN**}

Nadeshiko pushed away from his desk and closed his laptop, figuring that he had been heckled enough by anonymous contacts for the day. He was a bit upset that OmnipotentAlpha wasn't on, but he figured it was for the best. He had a plucky headache anyway. Nadeshiko turned to face his bed and saw that Chiisai was laughing hysterically while Naderu had a small fist clenched and raised, ready to assault him. Chiisai's boyish peals of laughter echoed in the room, broken only by his desperate gasps for air. Nadeshiko could see the tears of hysteria pooling in his eyes from his position at the desk.

"Oh, _man_! Is that _really _your name? _Zengi _Naderu? Holy _shit_, that's rich right there! Okay, what's your real name, gorgeous?"

"You," Naderu lifted her small fist high into the sky, "You mother fucker!" And that was when Nadeshiko heard Chiisai grunt followed by a body hitting the floor. Naderu looked smugly satisfied. The blow from Naderu's fist had put Chiisai to sleep. His snores soon filled the small room. "Nadeshiko, come read me a bedtime story. I did your homework for you, so I deserve it."

"Yeah. I'll sleep in the guest room; you and Chiisai can have the bed."

"Don't make me sleep with this creep!"

"Sorry. Has to be done."

"Make _him_ take the guest room!" Nadeshiko walked over to his bookshelf and pulled out a thick picture book named "Princess of Zakara." He would read a chapter a night to Naderu until she went to sleep. It was a ritual that Naderu should have outgrown, but Nadeshiko cherished the fact that she never yelled at him during the readings.

"I can't. He's a tenant, Naderu." Nadeshiko brought his desk chair over to the side of the bed and plopped it down, setting the thick green book on the seat of the chair. "Besides, you knocked him out. It's the least you can do. Want to be tucked in tonight or not?"

"Well, I _can't _since you're putting me with that guy!" Naderu exclaimed.

"I'll put him in the guest room tomorrow."

Nadeshiko picked up Chiisai and put him on top of the covers of his bed with his left hand while tucking Naderu in underneath the covers with his right hand. She seemed pleased with the compromise; she didn't mind the male's presence now that she couldn't feel his body heat under the covers. Nadeshiko used the back of his hand to brush stray hairs away from Naderu's heavily lidded eyes. She was already half way asleep and he hadn't even opened the book yet. Nadeshiko picked up the book and set it in his lap as he took his seat. Now where did they leave off? Chapter six...The Dishonest Lawyer.

* * *

_There's the end of this chapter! .x. Chiisai, according to my translator, means "small" in Japanese. I know that a lot of people associate the word "Chibi" with small, yet Chibi is used to describe something cute while Chiisai means small, tiny, little in general. _

_I hope you all enjoyed the first part of this double update day. Chapter four will be up shortly. _

_xAF_


	4. Card 4

_Hello all readers and welcome to the second part of double update day! I am _**AquilaFalcon**_ and I'm happy to finally be putting up chapter 4. I think this was my favorite chapter so far to write because I got to more clearly show how Nadeshiko feels in comparison to Hibari and what he really wants to put the older male through in terms of pain and humiliation. Their relationship is nothing short of dark and bent on causing the other pain. A fitting relationship for the prefect and any sibling of his, I think. Although I hope that I'm keeping certain characters IN character. The one thing I can't stand are OOC characters so I strive to keep them as cannon as possible. _

**Title: **_Bad Luck!  
_

**Summary****:** _Hibari Nadeshiko has been eclipsed by his elder brother's shadow for as long as he can remember. As a gambler, he uses his wits and his gift of reading the emotions of others to get by and boost his own confidence. After a particularly testy battle with Hibari, he is offered a place in the Vongola alongside his companions. However, Nadeshiko has been dealt a prescribed hand of cards. He cannot add, he cannot throw away, he cannot trade in his hand. He has lost all the luck. All of it.  
_

**Pairings: **_OC x OC (It's not even here yet...)  
_

**Warnings: **_Foul language for Zengi Naderu's potty mouth (and to an extent, Nadeshiko's. And now we have to take Chiisai into consideration...can't wait for the Varia arc!)_

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own KHR. KHR belongs to Akira Amano and all other affiliated parties._

* * *

Nadeshiko could barely register the miracle that was unfolding before him. Hibari was supplicating to _him_, surrendering his weapons and bowing on his knees. The young man was pleading for exculpation and Nadeshiko's compassion. Nadeshiko pinched himself to snap himself out of this diabolically saccharine reverie. When he did not awake, he stared down at Hibari and chuckled. His physical body was probably drugged by the pure absurdity of this dream, yet in his subconscious he wanted this to continue. Nadeshiko wondered what all he could do with this dreamland Hibari. He slowly snaked his fingers underneath the submissive male's chin, tickling his pale skin red. He lifted Hibari's chin and made the kneeling man face him. The question now was what he wanted to do. Nadeshiko struggled between humiliating the male and beating him until he was an unrecognizable mess. He settled for beating the male while humiliating him to the point of suicide.

Poof! A bull whip was in his hand instantaneously. Hibari's eyes widened in contrast to the sly narrowing of Nadeshiko's. Nadeshiko felt like the hunter; the predator, the alpha. Hibari was the dog this time. And even if this was a dream, Nadeshiko would make Hibari feel like the worst piece of shit imaginable. Nadeshiko drew the whip against Hibari's face without hesitation. His older brother yelled in pain and covered the cracking welts that ran across his face. Nadeshiko pushed Hibari onto his back and straddled the older male's hips, bringing the whip down several times across his chest, stomach, and arms. The older male cried out in anguish; a sound that sounded rich, thick, and exquisite to Nadeshiko's ears. He wondered if Hibari experienced these same emotions when he brought delinquents to their knees; when his younger brother beseeched him to cease beating him all because of an idiotic card game. Nadeshiko swallowed his tears and continued to beat Hibari until he was ripping into raw skin. Searing, burning pain coursing down his face made him relent and leave his beaten sibling on the ground.

_**(This is the divi**__**der that never ends; it is dividing the paragraphs...)**_

The worst way to get spurred awake is by crying yourself awake. Nadeshiko didn't know whether or not he should be angry or ashamed at himself. He decided on a mixture of both emotions and subsequently the thick taste of self-loathing settled on his tongue. A faint ringing sounded in his ears from all sides. He looked over at his alarm clock and read the time with an anguished groan. It was only five in the morning. Chiisai and Naderu were still asleep, each immersed in their own respective worlds of whimsy. Nadeshiko carefully maneuvered his chair across the wood paneled floor to his desk and sat down. He opened his laptop and looked for OmnipotentAlpha on his messaging client. Talking to the contact was a part of Nadeshiko's nightly ritual; falling asleep without connecting with her (Nadeshiko assumed it was a female by her way of calling him PP-kun) was like a breach of their relationship. He saw that she was on and proceeded to exasperate her.

{**PedanticPenultimate **_proceeded to wage his verbal battle against _**OmnipotentAlpha.**

** PP: **hey you there?

**OA: **I sure am! It's weird for you to talk to me so early in the morning. Did something happen?

**PP: **i had a homoerotic dream about me beating my older brother to a pulp on the floor. before that, though, some guy messaged me named ZEN or something. it was really disturbing considering the fact that i had never talked to the guy before.

**OA: **Did you block that user? It might just be me, but I wouldn't feel comfortable giving that guy such straightforward access to my network. It's like you're handing that creep the keys to your internet abode and he can just come in whenever he wants. It's not safe, PP-kun.

**PP: **thanks for sounding like my mother.

**OA: **If you _had _one!

**PP: **…touché. im proud of you. look the only reason im on so early is because of that dream that i had. i might as well go and make myself useful if im up.

**OA: **Oh, alright! Well, PP-kun, will I be talking to you again today?

**PP: **i can only sacrifice a tenth of my day to you, OA. no extra attention for you.

**OA: **You _left _me hanging today for _hours _as I waited at the computer for you! You can't bear to talk to me one more extra time?

**PP: **okay fine ill talk to you one more extra time today since you obviously yearned for the smooth strokes of my keyboard.

**OA: **Geez, so it's not just in this circle; you're a jerk all the time! Talk to you later, PP-kun.

**OmnipotentAlpha **_stormed off and left _**PedanticPenultimate**_ all alone._}

Nadeshiko ceased contacting his jilted internet comrade and stood up from his position at his desk. Staring at his desk now, he noticed that he never really did any work upon its surface. It was always used as a prop for his standard deck of playing cards, cup of anime-themed erasers, and laptop. Occasionally he would put a rough draft of a report at the right side of the laptop and type the document word for word to make it look less sloppy. His handwriting has always left something to be desired. It was a trait in the Hibari family; _everyone _had atrocious handwriting including Hibari. Nadeshiko ceased reflecting on his horrible calligraphy skills and fished out his school uniform, deciding that he was sufficiently healed from Hibari's onslaught days prior. He would stride seamlessly into Namimori and ignore everyone's inquiries about his prior ass kicking because the past was the past and everything in the past was left irrelevant.

Nadeshiko luxuriated in the singularity that he had been vying for since he started living with Naderu. There was no squabbling over mirror space or hair oil, and hot water ran plentifully from the chrome showerhead. Nadeshiko slid on his uniform without having to fret about his elbow bloodying Naderu's tiny nose. He slinked back into his bedroom to retrieve his cell phone and check the time. Only thirty minutes had passed since he started his tedious morning routine. He conceded that he was as much of a woman as Naderu for spending that much time in the mirror and then walked into the kitchen. He concluded that cooking a delicious breakfast would be ideal.

The kitchen was a foreign area to Nadeshiko. He wasn't completely comfortable around all of the utensils and their uses. All he knew was that chicken dusted with potato starch fried to an incredible golden brown. However, since Naderu was still slumbering, he had to take the higher road and cook lunch and breakfast for three people. Then he contemplated preparing a meal for Chiisai. He could warm himself something in the microwave; he was already sacrificing his paychecks for the kid.

First, Nadeshiko prepared two bento boxes for lunch. That took an hour of potato starch covering everything but the chicken, deformed rabbit-shaped apples, burned pumpkin and potato, umeboshi sitting on top of the rice ball it was supposed to go into, and nori sprinkling his hair and finding itself in his nostrils and pants. After he shook and blew himself free of all dried seaweed byproduct, he packed his pathetic excuse of a lunch and made a slightly better version for Naderu.

Nadeshiko was ready to give up by the time he focused on making breakfast. To his amusement, however, he made two successful stacks of blueberry pancakes with light honey syrup. He also made a few slices of toast and sunny side up eggs. Hibari would be disgusted at this blatant reverence of western culture. Subconsciously, that was the effect that Nadeshiko was aiming for. Naderu stepped into the kitchen fully dressed and ready to commit verbal murder against anyone who got in her way. The unbecoming scowl on her otherwise doll-like face let Nadeshiko know that his snarky ways would not be tolerated.

"You made breakfast?" Naderu took her seat at the small table in the kitchen whilst Chiisai came out of the bedroom fully dressed in his regular garb. "Impressive. Looks like you pulled it out of one of those magazines that highlight the western culture."

"Stop sounding so much like Hibari and eat already." Nadeshiko took his seat at the small table in front of his plate and Chiisai also took a seat. Nadeshiko had made a plate of breakfast for him despite himself.

"What's on your agenda today, fucknuts? Provided that you woke me up without even considering the fact that my hangover hadn't gotten the proper treatment." Chiisai took a hulking bite out of his pancakes and stared at Nadeshiko without much interest. Nadeshiko noticed that his eyes weren't obscured by those horrible glasses, and it made him appear much cuter.

"Well, Naderu and I are going to Namimori Middle, an institute that provides the best education that public interests can toss their tax money at. You, on the other hand, will be doing," Nadeshiko paused when a sharp cobalt glare was settled on him, "Whatever the fuck ten year olds do these days."

"You mean get on your laptop and watch pornography?"

"Yes, get on my laptop and defragment my discs." Nadeshiko tilted his head to the right to avoid a knife that had been catapulted in an attempt to hit him straight between the eyes. Chiisai was visibly seething at the comment. "Naderu, time to go pick up Tsuna!"

"Oh? Is it? Okay, let's go!" Naderu ran out of the kitchen and into the living room to fetch her shoes.

"Are you going to be okay here by yourself, little man?" Nadeshiko asked while finishing his breakfast.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. You just go and do that…learning thing." Chiisai was busy shoveling the remains of Naderu's breakfast onto his plate. Nadeshiko left the male to his devices and walked out of the kitchen. He slipped his shoes on and picked up his shoulder bag before following Naderu out of the door.

When the duo reached Sawada's household, the first person they noticed was a tiny toddler who had come out of the house ahead of Tsuna. The brunette looked befuddled as usual, the expression a perpetual one and as such was more common than a smile or a frown on the young man's face. Nadeshiko and Naderu both knew the tiny tot personally. The minuscule fedora-wearing chameleon owning man had bullied himself into Tsuna's life and subsequently into the lives of everyone that Tsuna knew. It wasn't such a problem for Naderu, but for Nadeshiko, it was as if a tinier male version of Naderu was around. It was true; Reborn wasted no time in berating Nadeshiko and comparing him to Hibari. After exchanging a few obligatory greetings, the group grew to include six with Gokudera and Yamamoto joining. With the assembly kept on their toes by an argument between Naderu and Gokudera, they all headed to Namimori. Reborn detached himself from the group when they reached the school gates.

The day seemed to go skeptically smoothly for Nadeshiko. He actually paid attention in class and wrote down a good deal of notes for later reference, although they were construed and written in chicken scratch. He went up on the roof with Tsuna, Gokudera, Yamamoto, and Naderu and resisted the usually recalcitrant urge in his fingertips and loins to play a riveting game of poker with the dirge of the school. That was, until Reborn came onto the roof.

"R-Reborn-san! What are you doing here?" Tsuna's eyes had gotten wide and Nadeshiko thought that he saw the young boy trembling.

"I'm not here for you. I'm here for Hibari Nadeshiko." For him? "You know how to play poker, right?"

"Haven't lost in ten years."

"Then do you want to play?" Reborn held up a deck of cards whose backs were wreathed in green vines.

"Sure."

"Let's make a bet. If you win, you can ask anything you want of me and I'll acquiesce with no trouble. If I win, you have to fight Hibari and get back those items he stole from you."

"Those are steep stakes. You're on."

Due to Nadeshiko's request, the author has been cajoled into making a long story short and saying that Nadeshiko lost horribly. Instead, the author has been given leeway to talk about the emotional impact that this loss had on Nadeshiko. It had a soul crushing, heart rending effect; Nadeshiko was reduced to nothing but a blank-eyed husk of a man on the roof of Namimori. That would be if he gave a shit. Sure, it was his first loss in ten years, yet it didn't affect Nadeshiko as much as he thought it would. Perhaps it was because his opponent was a baby and as such he registered the infant's victory as a fluke. At any rate, he never went back on a bet. He went to locate Hibari and challenge him for his bucket. With any hand of fortune contributing to his venture, he could probably make his dream come true…

You know. Minus the bull whip.

_**(This is another great divide, it divides everything in sight owo||)**_

Nadeshiko could feel the dread threatening to lock up his bones as he approached the Disciplinary Committee's hub. The number of pompadour-donned males started to increase until they were gathered in a small cluster at the doorway of the daunting room. Nadeshiko passed by these grunts with little to no difficulty since the majority of them regarded him as someone significant. It was always something that Nadeshiko pondered over a plate of food or a poker game; why the lower members of the Disciplinary Committee gave him the same amount of respect as Hibari but when it came to Hibari himself, he was nothing but an earthworm. Nadeshiko placed his handle on the door and steeled his heart. He had to appear confident to the male that he was boldly going to face, or he would be disregarded with the utmost haste. Trembling fingers threw open the door to the Disciplinary Committee's office and narrow steel blue eyes were staring into their darker counterparts. Foreheads covered by the same soft raven black hair almost clashed. Nadeshiko hadn't been expecting Hibari to be _right there. _Like he had smelled him down the hall.

"Herbivore."

"…" Nadeshiko was stunned. There was no moisture in his mouth that he could swallow, and his hands refused to stop their gyrations. Hibari pushed past him with a flourish of his jacket. His lackeys bowed in his presence, lining the sides of the hallway. Nadeshiko watched him walk away with trepidation snaking its way into his limbs. The sensation replaced the saliva in his mouth and coated every surface of his orifice. "St-stop!"

"I have better things to do than to waste my time with you, herbivore." Hibari curtly answered.

"I want my poker winnings back."

"Those trinkets? Take them. They are useless to me."

"Then why did you take them before?" Nadeshiko exclaimed in spite of himself.

"You allowed me to. As an herbivore, you allowed me to take your contraband and then beat you. It was amusing for the five minutes I wasted on you."

"Wasted…am I not even worth beating to you?"

The two boys faced each other on opposite ends of the hallway. Hibari's apathetic stare was settled on Nadeshiko's fiery glare. The former began to take smooth gliding steps towards Nadeshiko's body. The latter's stomach was twisted into a rigid tether as were his fists. Every fall of Hibari's booted foot caused Nadeshiko's fists and stomach to pull taut harder and harder until he felt like he couldn't breathe. His body was numb with adrenaline begging to be released. When Hibari had gotten to the point where he was a few feet away from Nadeshiko, he drew his tonfa. He was going to put Nadeshiko in his place. Was it too late to go back on the bet? Nadeshiko wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready. He just wanted his things back. That's all he wanted.

Nadeshiko had been so preoccupied with panicking that he wasn't quite privy to the abashed expressions on the face of Hibari's lackeys. He didn't understand why his fist was suspended in the air. And there was no plausible explanation for the reason why there were two tonfas on the ground and why Hibari's left cheek was suddenly red. Nadeshiko stared at his fist before the truth trickled down and shocked him. He punched Hibari. _He _punched Hibari. He _punched _Hibari. He punched _Hibari_.

There were no words.

"Herbivore…I'm going to bite you to _death._"

Nadeshiko did the only reasonable thing to do whilst Hibari slowly bent down to retrieve his tonfas. He ran screaming into the disciplinarian's office, sliding the door shut behind him. He looked around the office for a place to hide. The window at the far right was wide open, offering an easier method of escape. It was tempting for Nadeshiko, but he settled on not having bones broken by the cruel conventions of gravity. The table settled in between the two sofas was too small to take refuge under. Plus, Reborn was sitting on it.

Reborn was sitting on it? Shit; ignore him!

Nadeshiko took refuge underneath Hibari's desk and listened to the older male's footfalls. Each was reminiscent of an explosion in Nadeshiko's ears. His bladder almost couldn't handle the suspense. His dignity wouldn't let his bladder lose its grip on the situation. The door to the committee room opened slowly; forebodingly. Nadeshiko felt like screaming, so he sunk his nails into the back of his palms to suppress his act of cowardice. He wondered if this was how cornered animals felt before they died. The door to the committee room closed harshly. The deafening echo from the slam made Nadeshiko's leg unintentionally kick out. He tapped a hard object with his toe and to his relief; his bucket was right in his grasp. It was a surprisingly uncreative hiding spot for contraband, but Nadeshiko wasn't complaining. He hugged his bucket to his chest and kept quiet.

"Toddler. You've come for a fight? Now isn't the right time."

"Oh, no, this area is just ideal for coffee."

"Can you come back later?"

"No; I haven't finished my coffee."

"Have you seen a doppelganger of me seek refuge in here?"

Nadeshiko instinctively rose to one knee and prepared to run towards the window with his bucket in hand. Reborn had no incentive to defend him and as such was probably going to expose his position underneath the desk. However, he didn't take a moment to consider that Reborn had no particular reason to sell him out, either. The toddler was particularly plucky about those sorts of situations; his allegiance was never set in stone.

"I saw some kid jump out of the window. I don't know if he landed safely or not." Nadeshiko could hear Hibari's footsteps approach the window. He leaned over the ledge of the window for a moment and then stood up. "Anyway, I think I had better go."

"Wait Reborn!" Nadeshiko swallowed his fear and ignored Hibari as he climbed from his hiding place underneath the desk. "Th-thanks for covering for me and all, but I need to do this on my own."

A small smirk played on Reborn's infantile face. "Suit yourself, Nadeshiko. But I would watch out since your brother is currently about to smash your head in."

* * *

_That's a horrible thing for me to do; leave the story at this point. At the clash between the siblings. Boom._

_Sick fires._

_xAF_


	5. Card 5

**AquilaFalcon **_here with double update day! Chapter five and a special bonus chapter are going to be uploaded today, and then that will be all until I get back from Maryland! I really like this chapter (maybe because Reborn got a bigger part and Mukuro finally shows up) and I hope that you enjoy it as well, readers._

**Title: **_Bad Luck!  
_

**Summary****:** _Hibari Nadeshiko has been eclipsed by his elder brother's shadow for as long as he can remember. As a gambler, he uses his wits and his gift of reading the emotions of others to get by and boost his own confidence. After a particularly testy battle with Hibari, he is offered a place in the Vongola alongside his companions. However, Nadeshiko has been dealt a prescribed hand of cards. He cannot add, he cannot throw away, he cannot trade in his hand. He has lost all the luck. All of it.  
_

**Pairings: **_OC x OC, yet it doesn't serve as the focus._

**Warnings: **_Foul language for Zengi Naderu's potty mouth (and to an extent, Nadeshiko's.)_

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own KHR. KHR belongs to Akira Amano and all other affiliated parties._

* * *

Absconding was not an option for Nadeshiko any longer. Negotiating and pleading were also two alternatives that could have yielded results under better circumstances. He was facing a livid Hibari Kyoya with nothing but a bucket containing a gold watch, a pair of sneakers, a bento box, and his customized deck of cards. Nadeshiko did not recount placing his deck into the prize bucket, but he remembered that Hibari probably fished in his pockets for the illegal deck. Since combat was the only plausible venue for Nadeshiko now, he drew his deck from the prize bucket and kicked the container aside so that it collided with the wall farthest to his left. He took his deck from its protective plastic casing and drew three cards at random. With this deck, the drawing order was irrelevant. A winning hand was produced every time. He pocketed the remainder of his deck and faced the male who was brandishing his battering weapons of choice. Reborn had vacated his position on the table, perhaps to take refuge away from the battle grounds. Granted with Hibari's ruthlessness and Nadeshiko's methodical bounding about to gain ground and distance, the committee office was not a safe place.

Nadeshiko made the first move to begin the confrontation. He tossed the three cards that he had in his hand, the thin slices of paper ripping through the air. Hibari brought up his tonfa to block the cards and to his surprise found that they emitted a metallic chime after hitting his weapon. He reached down and picked up a card; the king of spades. He carefully angled the card towards the light and saw that the card had a thin blade integrated into the side. Nadeshiko watched Hibari examine his weapon with giddy exhilaration. He had predisposed himself to his guest room for days fitting his cards with thin blades for the sole purpose of being used as fifty-two lethal throwing stars. Nadeshiko also had his battle staff on him, but at the moment that weapon wasn't needed. Hibari tossed the card aside and rushed Nadeshiko immediately, swinging his tonfa in a wide arc towards Nadeshiko's head. The young male jumped away from his older assailant and landed on the top of the small table, knocking over Reborn's miniature coffee pot in the process. Hibari lunged at Nadeshiko and caused the young man to jump atop the sofa on the left side of the table. Hibari lunged once more, aiming for Nadeshiko's head. The male focused all of his weight onto his right ankle and tipped the sofa over, escaping and leaping onto the desk just before the sofa crashed. Hibari crashed and fell over the tipped fixture, rolling onto one knee.

Nadeshiko and Hibari's sport of cat and blade-endowed card throwing mouse was going to turn out to be a gridlock at any rate; a sort of ironic impasse. For how frightened of Hibari that Nadeshiko was, he certainly put his all into his physical and mental faculties to battle him. Hibari was expressionless and his attacks began to drag the longer the battle raged. Until Nadeshiko assaulted Hibari with his concealed battle staff, Hibari had seriously thought about turning face and going home. However, the younger sibling had, by some ironic twist of fate, read his brother's physical demeanor and pressed on. Neither male knew where this audacious display of balls came from, but they seemed to enjoy it. Both were oblivious to the minuscule toddler that was sitting on the window ledge with his chameleon sitting on hand. He was ready to end it as soon as the battle got too intense.

It was twilight when Hibari and Nadeshiko moved in for the kill. Mostly, it was their respective desires to go home, eat, study, relax, talk to supreme characters of an alphabet lost due to eras of technological and grammatical advances, et cetera. Nadeshiko received a hefty blow to the stomach that made him choke on the floor of the committee office. Hibari was left without serious injuries. His face had sustained a few cuts from the bladed poker deck, but he really didn't care. He left his office with slow, deliberate strides. Hibari would always be the winner. Always. Nadeshiko would always be the one left playing fifty-two pick up alone. Swallowing his protest at the bitter revelation, Nadeshiko accepted his fate while he started to pick up his scattered deck. Reborn policed his Herculean effort. The cards were stuck in walls and lodged into upholstery.

"Have you ever considered becoming a part of a mafia family, Nadeshiko?" Reborn suddenly inquired. The tall gangly male stopped gathering cards for one moment before dropping the ace of spades in the plastic holder.

"No."

"Why not? You're extremely agile, and your adroitness is something to be admired."

"When you say "mafia family," do you mean the Italian and American mafia families that run Staten Island and Sicily or the Yakuza or the Chinese Triads or the Russian mafia or…"

"You have an extensive list of mafia organizations."

"I just fuck around on Wikipedia; no big deal."

"Well, this family is different. It has its roots in Italy, but it is now headed by a Japanese youth. One that you know quite personally. Sawada Tsunayoshi." Nadeshiko plucked two cards out of the tipped sofa; a seven of spades and a six of clubs.

"Tsuna, huh? I didn't know he had it in him."

"Between you and me, he doesn't. Yet it's in his blood; becoming the boss for the Vongola Famiglia is his prescribed duty."

"So is he, like, gathering people for the family?"

"Yes, and you would make a good candidate. You seem to be loyal to Tsuna; the two of you share the same feelings of uselessness and weakness and that's important. A boss should be able to relate to members of his family."

"Anyone else in this family?"

"Gokudera Hayato and Yamamoto Takeshi. There is also Sasagawa Ryohei and Bovino Lambo."

"What the fuck's a Lambo?"

"You will be an important addition to the family. You and Naderu. You both have gained Tsuna's trust in one way or another."

Naderu looked down at his hand and saw that his fingers were grazing over the queen of diamonds. Oh, her just gaze made his heart settle. He picked her up and placed her atop her subjects, including the king of spades and jack of clubs. "Fine, I'll do it. I feel important knowing that Tsuna digs me that way. Maybe I'll talk to him some more…"

Nadeshiko retrieved his bucket of prizes and left the committee office with an all-consuming sense of accomplishment. Reborn took note of the boy's straight gait with a smirk. He had done what he had wanted to, subconsciously so, all along.

_**(More Dividers to Divide the Page and Make it Coherent. :])**_

Even though Nadeshiko had cashed his paycheck and found half of it deducted because of Chiisai's voracious appetite for sweets, he extended an invitation by text message to Akibara Rumiko after school. He wanted to take her to the arcade and then treat her to yakitori as a conciliatory offering when he royally kicked her sculpted ass at dancing games. She said that she would come only if he would not laugh at her manner and etiquette outside of the workplace. Nadeshiko said he would try. He really couldn't afford to laugh, though. This was his first official date with a female that he actually appeared compatible with. He wasn't reduced to a laughingstock holding the hand of a diminutive, wild-haired, loud mouth who more or less could have been his little sister. Nonetheless, he adored his tiny invective ward with all of his platonic heart. He checked up on her and Chiisai and got a positive report back. She was fine, and he could continue to woo his coworker.

The bombshell blonde had timed her arrival to the minute, making her presence known ten minutes after seven. Her legs were accentuated by dark denim shorts that cut off at the middle of her creamy white thighs. A white turtleneck was a simple but elegant touch to her outfit that matched with her sneakers. She had made a part in her hair to the right, brushing her bangs forward while pinning the rest of her thick blonde locks back with a headband. Nadeshiko and Rumiko shared an embrace in front of the arcade and then ran inside, hand in hand.

Nadeshiko knew that the arcade he had invited Rumiko to was a popular social hub for teenagers and young adults, but he had never expected it to be so crowded. The inside of the arcade was shady with the shining neon lights of the arcade attractions leading the way through throngs of excitable young virile bodies. Nadeshiko heard staccato beats and pulsing bass from all directions and adjusted his goggles in turn to appear as though he were a part of the raving crowd. Both he and Rumiko scoured the arcade for their first game of the evening.

"What should we do first, Nadeshiko?"

"We should play that dancing game," Nadeshiko turned and gestured to a tall machine bedecked with large speakers that was drawing up quite a crowd, "To warm each other up for the events ahead."

"I'm not very good at those kinds of games." Rumiko demurely admitted to her date. Nadeshiko laced an arm around his tall female companion's shoulder and led her towards the machine.

"Don't worry. I'll go easy on you!"

The youths at the machine turned to acknowledge the couple that had joined the throng before focusing their attention on the two players that were immersed in a fleet-footed dance challenge. The young body on the left looked no older than Nadeshiko with a head of blonde hair that was peppered with hair clips. A macabre grin danced across his face as the lights from the machine cast an indelible shadow against his tanned skin. Nadeshiko looked over at his challenger; a male with dark hair concealed by a white beanie. Both of them seemed to be from some middle school that was out of the way from Namimori. They were both adept at the game from the way their feet were moving from flashing arrow panel to flashing arrow panel, neither male breaking a sweat. Nadeshiko knew both boys through a mediocre poker game; their names were Joshima Ken and Kakimoto Chikusa. The three had played a short game in the frozen food aisle of a convenience store for the last pack of their favorite flavor of gum. Nadeshiko had won yet he allowed Ken and Chikusa to walk away with their treat. After that, the three started to see each other everywhere intentionally or no. They were by no means close friends, but they knew each other. That was enough.

"Yo, Ken, Chikusa."

"Hey, it's…uhm, that kid. What're you doing here, byon?"

"I'm on a date." Nadeshiko nudged Rumiko's shoulder to which she casually brushed him off with a toss of her apricot scented locks.

"I didn't know you were gay, byon."

"I'm not a fucking dude," Rumiko bristled instantaneously, "And I don't have to take insults from a guy that smells like a shit barn!"

"I win, Ken." Chikusa stepped off of the flashing machine and walked into the throng to interact with Nadeshiko face-to-face. "You're a common pest around here, I guess."

"Yeah, I guess." Nadeshiko assisted Rumiko onto the dancing pad while avoiding her scantily clad bottom. Oh, why must she titillate his senses so? He could feel the warmth from her lower back sinking into his fingertips… "Aren't you guys coming out of your way to party in Namimori?"

"Well, we have a reason to celebrate! Mukuro-san is here!"

"Ken, shut up." Chikusa snapped abruptly.

"Mukuro? Where is he; maybe I'll visit the kid and wish him a happy homecoming." Nadeshiko stepped onto the dance pad and inserted two coins into the machine.

"N-none of your business, poker boy!"

"Chikusa, Ken, I was looking for you two."

Nadeshiko and Rumiko had just finished their first track on the game when another teen morphed from the confines of the throng to stand in between Ken and Chikusa. His dark blue hair brushed against his chin, the center part in his hair ending at a spiky tuft that stood at attention of its own provocation. His left eye was blue, a stark contrast to his right eye which was red with the kanji for four dancing in its iris. Nadeshiko and Rumiko continued to prattle in their amicable dancing competition while the three inauspicious males observed them from the head of the throng. They stood out in their matching uniforms against the backdrop of leisurely garbed teens. Nadeshiko shifted his mind's eye from the three teens below to the beautiful woman dancing beside him. Contrary to her previous plea, she was quite adept at the game. She wasn't missing a beat or an arrow, consequently. Nadeshiko tried to concentrate on his own immaculate footwork, but his partner had done a superb job in charming him. He ended up losing to Rumiko by a few insignificant points. The two left the dance pad only to find that Ken and Chikusa were gone. Only the male with heterochromia was left.

"That game requires much dexterity and resilience. I'm not sure if I could handle it."

"Who are you? Are you that Mukuro guy that Ken and Chikusa were talking about?"

"Kufufufu…" Nadeshiko's eyebrows furrowed in response to Mukuro's distinctive chuckle. "Why the change in demeanor, boy?"

"Do you have a computer or a cell phone or anything of the sort?"

"Do those sorts of things really matter?"

"I was just asking; I communicate frequently online with someone that has the same…chuckle as you do."

"You must be hungry."

"Are you trying to change the subject, OmnipotentAlpha?"

"I was simply offering you something to eat." Mukuro gestured to a table that was already adorned with platters of grilled chicken, charred vegetables, and bubbly drinks. "Do you and your boyfriend have a moment?"

"I swear to all fuck hell, I'm not a fucking boy!" Rumiko protested. "Is it because I don't have big tits like every other girl in this place? That's not fair! Do you see a fucking boner in my shorts? No!"

"I have to agree; she has quite the caboose back here." To emphasize his point, Nadeshiko gave Rumiko's backside the squeeze he had always wanted to. His fingers felt like they were melting in the warm, soft flesh of—

"Get the fuck off of me, Nadeshiko!" –smack. Nadeshiko's vision reeled as he grabbed at anything substantial for a prop. Rumiko might have been a woman, but she hit like an angry heavy-weight class boxer. "Pervert. Your name is Mukuro, right? Can you lead me to the table?"

"Kufufufu, is he okay?" Nadeshiko's vision stabilized to the point where he could make out Mukuro's smirk in the darkness of the arcade.

"He's fine; perverts never stay down for long."

Nadeshiko staggered onto his feet with a gullet clogged with spittle that hadn't escaped. He followed Mukuro and Rumiko out of the throng of animated adolescents and convened with them at the delectably decorated table. He grabbed a chicken wing and a glass of the carbonated drink and leaned against the surface of the table to give Rumiko the chance to sit down and enjoy her meal. He would have plenty of time to recline when he got home.

"So, do you two go to Namimori?" Mukuro inquired.

"I do; she doesn't." Nadeshiko answered.

"Well, there's a rumor in my neck of the words of a group of middle school students aiming to attack a certain rival school."

"What? Oh, what am I even getting worried about?"

"Hmm? What do you mean, Nadeshiko?" Rumiko took a long slurp of her beverage through the arcade's flashing bendy straw.

"Hibari's just going to take care of whoever comes near his precious school anyway. I feel sorry for anyone else." Nadeshiko turned to Mukuro and caught the inkling of sinister malevolence in his eyes before he resumed speaking.

"Hibari? Who is that?"

"My idiotic, pretentious, holier-than-thou, contemptible older brother! He disregards everyone and doesn't discriminate; he hates everyone equally! He only extends his privileged recognition to a few select people, and even _then _he's not a nice mother fucker. He's strong as hell, I'll give him that, but he's a loathsome human being. I hate being mistaken for and compared to _him_."

"It seems like you hold many malicious feelings towards your older sibling."

"He's an asshole. If anyone is going to attack anyone, I hope the assailants kick my brother's fucking ass. I'd hate them for doing it first, but I'd be proud that it was done."

"You really are quite spiteful…" Rumiko and Mukuro stated concurrently. The former's utterance was that of curiosity; a yearning to learn more of her partner's macabre side. The latter's was seeded with amusement, a dark amusement that Nadeshiko felt snake into his blood and chill it where it ran.

_**(Another divider~)**_

{**OmnipotentAlpha **_gleefully began to communicate with _**PedanticPenultimate**

** OA: **So, how was your date with your boyfriend?

**PP: **for the last fucking time rumiko is a girl.

**OA: **I apologize, fufufu. I know how sensitive you are about the subject, especially since this girl was your first official date. Was she receptive; did you woo her with your gambler gusto? Or did you instead go the school-boy route and win over her heart with small, meaningful gestures?

**PP: **i copped a feel.

**OA: **Lmfao! Did you _really_? That's so…uncalled for, especially from you.

**PP: **im a hermit what do you expect? ive never touched a legitimate ass before and hers is _legit_. i mean my fingers kind of sunk into her ass. its not too big or too small but its just the right amount of soft squeezable ass and nice round shape.

**OA: **As interesting as the contours of your male—_fe_male—companion's butt are, I would like to move to another topic that's probably more or less relatable to people without any potential mates. People like me for example.

**PP: **you were there though you saw how pretty rumiko was.

**OA: **Did I? I don't believe that I saw either you or your mate. I know how to find you; all I must do if I am to find you is look for a pair of snowboarding goggles atop a head of bushy black hair during all seasons _except _for in winter when the goggles would be much more practical.

**PP: **thats a bit creepy that you know exactly how to find me OA.

**OA: **Who else did you meet that caused you to purport that accusation that I was there?

**PP: **a guy named mukuro. he does that fufufu thing that you do all the time when you are amused by me. i was like 'wow this guy laughs a lot like OA' and so i accused him of being you and he did not give me a clear answer he just offered me food which i ate like a complete uncivilized barbarian.

**OA: **First of all, PP-kun, I'm a girl.

** PP: **score i called it.

**OA: **Secondly, every "fufufu" is a laugh, but not every laugh is a "fufufu." Do you understand?

**PP: **no

**OA: **It might be a malicious "fufufu," not one of my carefree ones! You can't go around assuming that someone is me just because our laughs might coincide. That is the equivalent of assuming that everything red is a tomato.

**PP: **but everything red is not a tomato. strawberries are not tomatoes and neither are red bell peppers or red beets.

**OA: **Did you at least get the gist of my illustration?

**PP: **i would have if it wasnt so goddamn impractical. so who are you anyway? ive sent you a picture of me but havent gotten shit or piss from you yet.

**OA: **I know, and I thank you for being patient with me, oh-so-handsome PP-kun. 3

**PP: **you think im handsome? sweet.

**OA: **I'm actually going to be in Namimori soon.

**PP: **oh shit when?

**OA: **It's for my sister school program at university, so I'll be flying from the northern end of Japan to Namimori by this month's end.

**PP: **awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome

**OA: **I'll send you a picture around that time, okay? I'll expect to have a guest room made for me since I _know _you'll be a hospitable host, handsome PP-kun.

**PP: **whoa wait what

**OA: **Good night, PP-kun! Get some rest.

**OmnipotentAlpha **_left a confused _**PedanticPenultimate**_ to his own devices for the rest of the night._}

* * *

_I liked this chapter because of the fight between Nadeshiko and Hibari. Even though it was a few short paragraphs, I felt proud of it. Mostly because they'll be having a much more decisive battle in the future. _

_I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. The bonus settling the fanfiction into the Kokuyo arc is coming up soon._

_xAF_


	6. Wild Card

_Hello, _**AquilaFalcon **_here! This is more of a transition chapter since the fanfiction is going into the Kokuyo arc. These are just short drabbles on the characters and the relationships that are had so far (plus a drabble about Nadeshiko and Hibari's childhood which I loved writing.)_

**Title: **_Bad Luck!  
_

**Summary****:** _Hibari Nadeshiko has been eclipsed by his elder brother's shadow for as long as he can remember. As a gambler, he uses his wits and his gift of reading the emotions of others to get by and boost his own confidence. After a particularly testy battle with Hibari, he is offered a place in the Vongola alongside his companions. However, Nadeshiko has been dealt a prescribed hand of cards. He cannot add, he cannot throw away, he cannot trade in his hand. He has lost all the luck. All of it.  
_

**Pairings: **_OC x OC, yet it doesn't serve as the focus._

**Warnings: **_Foul language for Chiisai and Nadeshiko's cursing.  
_

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own KHR. KHR belongs to Akira Amano and all other affiliated parties._

* * *

#1: Lightning Storms

Naderu and Nadeshiko kept silent to allow the delicate pitter-patter of the rain droplets to permeate the room. The laptop had been shut down, the premade lunches were cooling in the fridge, and a briefcase and a shoulder bag were packed with books and home assignments and placed side by side at the front door. The apartment was devoid of light; only momentary flashes of lightening lit the room and cast two trembling shadows against the furthermost wall. Both of the teens were afraid of lightning storms; Naderu because it reminded her of the day that she was taken from her family in Italy and Nadeshiko because it was during a lightning storm that Hibari struck him for the first time. The two were clinging to each other, not willing to let the other go. When a peal of thunder boomed and made the apartment tremble, Naderu screamed and hid her face in Nadeshiko's chest. It was then and only then that he stilled his body and allowed it to be a safe haven for the frightened girl who was clawing at his sweater. After all, that was his duty to the frightened young imp; to be there for her in any way, shape, or form. Why else would he take her verbal abuse?

* * *

#2: Western Culture

It was one of those moments before their sibling feud began, when Hibari and Nadeshiko got…along? No, that's not correct. The more accurate way to describe the relationship at this point would be platonic, mutual annoyance. The two were constricted in a MAD agreement; if either sibling made a volatile move against the other, then all hell would break loose between the two and they would fight until one either absconded or left the house or both died in combat. With this agreement set in stone between the boys, it was a surprise to see one young boy holding one end of a magazine while the other pointed at various pictures with his finger.

"Look at those, Hibari! Those look really good!" A messy haired, young Nadeshiko commented.

"Those are disgusting. Dorayaki is more nutritious and tastes way better." A composed, stern-faced Hibari replied.

"You're crazy; look at all of the honey on the top!"

"No wonder Westerners get so fat; they eat their pancakes with jelly in between each layer. And they have bacon and cereal, too."

"They're called _Americans _and we should embrace their culture like they embrace ours! See; they have fresh fruit with their breakfasts, too!"

"Most of that food is probably prepared in a microwave. It's as authentic and fresh as your bravery and strength."

"H-huh? You shut up, Hibari! The one day I choose to hang out with you and you act all annoying!"

Unbeknownst to the siblings at that time, their homes, foods of choice, and methods of talking would reflect this one little argument. That is why to this day Hibari has a predominantly Japanese-based home and set of values while Nadeshiko has a more Western set-up.

* * *

#3: Akibara Rumiko

Nadeshiko didn't really consider himself a sexual person. He took no interest in sex, could care less about seeing a female's bare skin, and could say every shameful name for genitalia without breaking a stoic façade. Naderu and Gokudera had gone as far as to label the poor boy a homosexual. Nadeshiko didn't consider himself anything at all; at the most, he considered himself asexual with no sexual attraction towards humans at all. Not until he met Akibara Rumiko.

The both of them had been applying to Akiguchi's on the same day but at different times. Nadeshiko was just coming in for his interview while Rumiko was leaving Akiguchi Hiro's office with her uniform in her hand. The first thing that Nadeshiko noticed about her was how tall she was. Her black pencil skirt ended just at her knees, showing off the rest of her creamy smooth legs. She didn't seem to have much of a chest, but Nadeshiko hadn't noticed that because he was too focused on her face. When she passed him, he could smell almond butter and honey from her soft blonde tresses. When he turned to watch her back as she left…

Whoa. Ass for days.

That was when Nadeshiko was sure that he wasn't asexual. If the blush on his cheeks and the quick staccato beat of heartbeat was any indicator to follow, he sure as hell wasn't homosexual, either.

* * *

#4: Chiisai Sets Up an Email Account

{**26To10 **_started pointlessly heckling _**PedanticPenultimate.**

**26T10: **H3ll00000?

**PP: **what?

**26T10: **Ar3 y0u h0t?

**PP: **what the hell who is this

**26T10:** It's m3, dud3.

**PP: **good lord its chiisai

**26T10: **Sup, br0?

**PP: **im in class

**26T10: **S0 what? Y0u sh0ld c0m3 h0m3 and hang 0ut with m3. I'm b0r3d 0ut 0f my FUCKING mind, dud3.

**PP: **go to a playground make some friends

**26T10: **I d0n't want t0 g0 t0 a fucking playgr0und; I want t0 h3ckl3 y0u! S0 g3t y0ur ass h0m3 n0w, fucknuts!

**PP: **look im failing a test right now can we do this later?

**26T10: **Fin3! But 3xp3ct my half 0f th3 r3nt t0 b3 lat3!

**26To10**_epically flipped off_**PedanticPenultimate**

**PP:** what the actual fuck?

**PedanticPenultimate **_got his cell phone smashed by a wild pair of tonfa._}

* * *

#5: Family

Nadeshiko had a skewed view of family from the time he was a child. Hibari bullied him and he barely saw his mother and his father. He spent most of his time on his own outdoors with naught but a stick and a broken hula-hoop. He was a loner since childhood, and as he grew older he came to accept that fact. Even when Naderu and Chiisai came to stay with him, he still felt alone. Even when the loud-mouthed Gokudera moved in next door, Nadeshiko couldn't shake that feeling of loneliness. It was as if he were cursed to be a hermit forever.

He could write his own book about how emo his thoughts became.

When Reborn offered him to be a part of a family, mafia or otherwise, Nadeshiko accepted but inwardly knew that nothing would change. He felt no emotional connection with the people he was about to dedicate most of his days to. He would stick around to wait and see, but he predicted that he would come away from the family as lonely as he was going in.

* * *

_The last drabble is sad. Hey, some things just happen that way. Anyway, this was the transition bonus chapter that can be skipped if drabble sets don't suit anyone's fancy. I just wrote it to fill the void. It's not a very concise fit...I feel bad now. I'm sorry, everybody. _

_xAF_


End file.
